March 2025 Newsletter

   2025 Upcoming meetings

March 15 - Swap meet 

April 19 - Leslie - "not exactly gesso" 

May 11 - Joint meeting with Antique Doll Club

June 21 - Sue and Virginia - armor making

July 19 - Katie - armatures

August 16 - Barb - face sculpting

September 20 - Andrea - making accessories

October 18 - Challenge Dolls and Show planning    

November 15 - Annual Show and Sale

December 20 - Christmas Party

February Birthdays

Julie W. and Colleen celebrate their birthdays this month.  Have a great day ladies!

Meeting Minutes

Present for the February meeting were Julie W., Ann R., Leslie, Mary, Katie, Jude, Joan, Andrea, Ann C., Deb , and Julie G.  We were pleased to have Anita come as a guest. 

Show and Tell

Deb completed the bunnies that had been given to her in pieces at the January meeting.  She named them Carotena and Cabratoer.  Great job, Deb!

Deb's Carotena

Deb's Cabratoer

Jude brought a little horse that she received from fellow doll maker Pat in the Illinois doll club.  Very unique!

Jude's gift horse

Business

Ann C, our Publicity chairman, is looking into ways to promote our club.  Andrea is checking on doing a display at the Central Library.  In May we plan on a month-long display in Greenfield with the IN-fiber group. More info to come as details are worked out.

Our spring class with Barbara Schoenoff is coming up April 12-13.  Participants have received their

 patterns and instructions and some have gotten a good start on the Prince body. 

Katie's Prince body

Katie's Prince with clothes started

Andrea's Prince with pants

Ann C.'s Prince's back side

Katie's Prince with a six pack

Thank you all for bringing your works in progress and tips on construction! It is an ispriation for the rest of us for sure!

In May we will meet with the Antique Doll Club for a luncheon and program.  Members are encouraged to bring a show and tell doll.  Andrea will give a history of Indy Art Doll Makers.

Program

February's program was Seating, Stands, and Staging our dolls.  Several members brought dolls they made in the past to show how they had displayed them.  So many unique ways.  Thanks to all for sharing!

Andrea's Humpty

Leslie's "Jane Austin" by Gail Wilson

Andrea's doll and chair

Andrea's "Ann of Green Gables" and chair

Andrea's Elf from Allison Marano class

Leslie's Fairy on a Vine    

Leslie's doll on boxes

Jude's "Copper" on wood stand

Jude's Fairy on a Pedestal

Ann C.'s Bar Scene

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is March 15, 2025, at the Irvington Branch Library at 10:00 a.m.  Our meeting room is on the right upon entering the library.  

5625 East Washington Street

Indianapolis, IN 46219

We will be having a swap meet.

Future Events

April 12-13 - Barbara's Beast class

April 30-May31 - exhibit in Greenfield with IN-fiber group

May 10 - Joint meeting with Antique Doll Club

October 18 - Challenge Dolls due (character from book, movie, or play)

November 15, 2025 - Annual Art Doll Show and Holiday Fair

Check list for March meeting

Nametag

Show and Tell

Items for Swap Meet

February 2025 Newsletter

  2025 Upcoming meetings

February 15 - Andrea - Staging a display and stands

March 15 - Swap meet 

April 19 - Lelie - "not exactly gesso" 

May 17 - ? joint meeting

June 21 - Sue and Virginia - armor making

July 19 - Katie - armatures

August 16 - Barb - face sculpting

September 20 - Andrea - making accessories

October 18 - Challenge Dolls and Show planning    

November 15 - Annual Show and Sale

December 20 - Christmas Party

February Birthdays

Julie G. and Liz celebrate their birthdays this month.  Have a great day ladies!

Meeting Minutes

Present for the January meeting were Mary, Katie, Deb, Andrea, Jude, Julie W., Ann C., Leslie, and Julie G.  Deb was our nametag winner.

Show and Tell

Deb completed a mermaid from a pattern in a book she had.  Notice the webbed hands!

Deb's mermaid

Mary brought some Belgium lace placemats she had received with proof of authenticity

Mary's Belgium lace placemats

Andrea brought a UFO that a friend had given her.  Note that it came in a Zayre bag!  It had a bunch of bunny pieces that needed put together.  Deb volunteered to take it and see if she could complete it.  We can't wait to see it, Deb!

Andrea's Zayre bag UFO

Andrea also brought her cute little Julie McCullough doll from her "Pixie Dust" pattern.  She is a sister to the doll that Julie W. received at the Christmas gift exchange.

Andrea's "Pixie Dust"

Julie W. brought her "Pixie Dust" to play with Andrea's

"Pixie Dust" Sisters

Business

Official officer election has been put off until next meeting when more members are present.

The 2025 Challenge is a character from a book, movie or play.  The completed display should include a picture of the inspiration.

Plans for the 2025 spring class with Barbara Schoenoff's Beast head were reviewed.  Jude will email the class patterns when she receives them.  Excitement is building for this fabulous class!

The May meeting may be a joint meeting with another group.  Leslie is working on the plans for this meeting.

Andrea announced plans for our group to display our dolls in Greenfield with the IN Fiber group.  It will be in the month of May.  More details to come.

Program

Our program was planning what programs to do at our meetings in 2025.  They can be seen at the top of this newsletter.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is February 15, 2025, at the Irvington Branch Library at 10:00 a.m.  Our meeting room is on the right upon entering the library.  

5625 East Washington Street

Indianapolis, IN 46219

Andrea is leading this meeting about staging and displaying our dolls.  Members are encouraged to bring a sample of ways they have done this such as using candlesticks, chairs, etc.

Future Events

April 12-13 - Barbara's Beast class

November 15, 2025 - Annual Art Doll Show and Holiday Fair

Check list for February meeting

Nametag

Show and Tell

Dues for 2025 if not already paid

Samples of ways to display your doll

January Newsletter

  2025 Upcoming meetings

January 18 - Andrea TBD

February 15 - TBD

March 15 - TBD 

April 19 - TBD 

May 17 - TBD

June 21 - TBD

July 19 - TBD

August 16 - TBD

September 20 - TBD

October 18 - TBD

November 15 - TBD

December 20 - Christmas Party

January Birthdays

Joan is our only birthday girl this month.  Wishing you a HEALTHY year ahead, Joan!!!

December 21, 2024 Meeting Minutes

Present for the December meeting were Julie W., Ann C., Julie G., Leslie, Mary, Katie, Deb, Ann R., Andrea, Barbara, and Jude.

Show and Tell

Katie brought her beautiful "Makena".  Her skin fabric is hand dyed.

Katie's "Makena"

Deb brought a doll she had made that the features had bled.  Virginia had showed her how to cover the face with gesso and mod podge, sanding in between and then adding features which would not blead. She was very pleased with the outcome.  Great job, Deb!

Deb's redone face doll

Barbara brought her "Crow Woman" doll made with beautiful fabrics from her stash.

Barb's "Crow Woman" front

Barb's "Crow Woman" back

Business

Our November annual Art Doll Show and Holiday Fair was reviewed.  There were many wonderful dolls, however attendance was down a bit.  Plans for better advertising were discussed as well as the possibility of changing the date.

The possibility of doing another round robin doll was discussed.  It might be something that would start later in the year.

The May meeting may be a joint meeting with another group.  A committee will be planning that.

Our January meeting will be a planning meeting for the 2025 programs.   Some suggestions were how to make armatures, using Gesso for faces, what inks to use in making faces, how to create your own fabric for your doll, how to make accessories (glasses, umbrellas, shoes, etc.), sculpting character faces, how to make anatomically correct torsos.

Our guest class instructor on April 12-13 will be our own Barbara Schoenoff.  She brought her dolls to show what we will be doing.  The dolls themselves will not be done in class, cut the making of the Beast head to fit the prince will be the focus.

Barbara's "Belle" front

Barbara's "Belle" back

Barbara's Prince front

Barbara's Prince back

Barbara's Beast head front

Barbara's Beast head back

One of Barbara's hidden talents is gargling a Christmas song which she demonstrated for us.

Barb's song

Program

Food, Gift Exchange, Challenge for 2025

As always this was a fun Holiday Party.  Great food and what wonderful gifts were exchanged.

Voting for the 2025 Challenge

The category with the most votes and winner for the 2025 Challenge Doll is "Fictional Character" which could be from a book, movie, or play.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is January 18, 2025, at the Irvington Branch Library at 10:00 a.m.  Our meeting room is on the right upon entering the library.  This will be a planning meeting for the programs for 2025.  We will also confirm officers for 2025.  All current officers have agreed to continue in their respective rolls.

5625 East Washington Street

Indianapolis, IN 46219

Future Events

April 12-13 - Barbara's Beast class

Check list for January meeting

Nametag

Show and Tell

Dues for 2025

Ideas for programs for 2025

December 2024 Newsletter

 2024 Upcoming meetings   

December 21 - Christmas Party 

December Birthdays

Lots of great dollmakers were born this month!  Happy Birthday Sue, Leslie, Ann C., Pat, and Jude!

Meeting Minutes

Ten members were present for the November meeting.  

Show and Tell

Three members brought their finished or mostly finished "In the Woods" challenge dolls.  Katie had her original Wood Elf riding a Toad, which went on to win the challenge.  Deb used a Patti Culea pattern to make her Fae.  Ann C., had three of her Julie McCullough critters (fox, bunny, and skunk) at the meeting.  She had more critters that were in her final challenge display.

Ann C.'s challenge

Deb's challenge

Katie's challenge

Andrea finished her class dragon whose name is Aurelia

Andrea's "Aurelia" Book dragon

Joan showed some mug rugs she had made.

Joan's mug rugs

Andrea brought a little doll

Andrea's little doll

Katie shared that her Aussie doll juried into an art show.

Mary shared that she is now a Great-Grandma!  Congratulations, Mary!

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is Saturday December 21, 2024, at the Irvington Branch Library at 10:00 a.m.  Our meeting room is on the right upon entering the library.  

5625 East Washington Street

Indianapolis, IN 46219

This will be our annual Christmas Party.  We are having a pitch in brunch.  There will be a gift exchange for those who wish to participate.  The gift should be a handmade item.  We will be deciding on the theme for next year's challenge doll, so members are encouraged to bring ideas for the challenge.  Officers for next year will be nominated and then voted for at the January 2025 meeting.

Check list for December meeting

Nametag

Food

Ideas for next year's challenge